What are the developmental stages of adolescence?

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Quick Answer

The developmental stages of adolescence are early adolescence, middle adolescence and late adolescence. There are different types of development during these stages, including physical, intellectual, emotional and social development.

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The first stage of adolescence is early adolescence, which occurs between the ages of 11 and 14. When a teenager turns 15, middle adolescence begins, and this typically lasts until the age of 17. At 18, they enter late adolescence, which continues until early adulthood at 21.

Physical developmental changes typically start in early adolescence and go until middle adolescence. This includes the start of a woman’s menstrual cycle and puberty for both men and women. Intellectual development occurs during all three stages of development, up until early adulthood.

Emotional development is often the cause of teenagers starting to spend more time with friends or alone and distancing themselves from their parents. This is due to the different stages causing teenagers to desire more independence as they grow. Some common emotional developments include pushing limits, having more contentious behavior and sometimes being conflicted about leaving the safety of the home.

Social development also occurs during all three stages, where the teenager starts to have social interactions with friends and other groups of people outside of the home dynamic.